1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus which includes a housing having a chamber for receiving gas and a vent passage blocked by a pressure relief plug.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known in the art of vehicle occupant restraint systems to pretension seat belt webbing in the event of a vehicle collision. In one known system, the seat belt webbing is pretensioned by moving a buckle associated with the seat belt webbing through a pretensioning stroke. The pretensioning stroke is accomplished by actuating a pyrotechnic gas generator in a piston/cylinder device.
It is possible for the pyrotechnic material of the gas generator to auto-ignite at high temperatures. Such an auto-ignition would unnecessarily actuate the pretensioning device. Thus, it is desirable to vent the pressurized gas generated by a gas generator in a seat belt pretensioning device in the event of auto-ignition of the gas generator.